NFA rice supply under control, says Palace

MANILA — Malacanang on Tuesday assured that the supply of National Food Authority (NFA) rice is under control.

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr. told him that there was standby order of 250,000 metric tons of rice.

“I just talked to CabSec Evasco. He says the situation is really under control. Of course, we will not allow our inventory to be depleted,” Roque said in reaction to reports that NFA rice supply was fast dwindling.

Last Monday, Roque said President Rodrigo R. Duterte had been doing a “diplomatic initiative” to address the NFA rice shortage.

“I was not authorized to reveal what the President has done. But the President has done a diplomatic initiative to address this. But without authority, I cannot yet announce,” he told the Palace reporters.

Last Sunday, Senator Nancy Binay called on government to address the “dwindling supply” of NFA rice.

The reported NFA rice shortage had resulted in the increase of NFA rice from PHP27 to PHP32 per kilo.